Underwater Adventure with ScubaCoe: Bora Bora

French Polynesia Bora Bora

The island of Bora Bora is a Honeymooners paradise. Breathtaking 360 degree views of exploding color, sets the perfect backdrop for lovers. Lush green islands and turquoise waters fading into brilliant blue skies with fluffy optic white clouds. By far one of the most picturesque destinations I've traveled.
But its not all about the views from up above. Concealed beneath the turquoise waters holds the real treasure of Bora Bora. Visibility often reaches 130 feet, and the average temperature of the ocean is 79 degrees F in the winter season, and 84 F during the summer. There is no noticeable temperature variation between the surface and a depth of 166 feet.
If you head out of the lagoon to the outside of Motu Tapu just through Teavanui Pass, you will share the waters with 8 foot Lemon Sharks.

Truly a spiritual experience as you descent these waters dropping ever so closely to these beautiful and docile beast. This dive site is suitable for a "guided" novice diver, but better suited for the advanced diver. The dive starts at 60' and can quickly drop beyond recreational dive limits, with a sandy bottom of 167' off the reefs edge.

Need more sharks... Travel to the opposite side of the island within the lagoon to Motu Taurere. Here in waters no deeper then 4' you can snorkel with dozens of Black Tip Reef Sharks, and their Stingray companions.

Traveling again, outside the lagoon heading north towards the airport and around Paharire Point to Muri Muri is a shallow sea mound, and favorite feeding ground for Sea Turtles. Although only accessible for scuba on very calm sea days.

Another favorite snorkel site is called the Aquarium, and with a max. depth of 22 feet, its still a fun place to scuba dive, like one long safety stop. Here you will encounter a variety of reef fishes, eel, leaffish, lion fish, and octopus. It truly is like swimming in an Aquarium.

But, the real secret of Bora Bora is the well protected dive site called "Anau". Just across the lagoon from the St. Regis Resort, you will descent onto one of the most beautiful hard coral reefs in Bora Bora, and the play ground and cleaning station of the Manta Rays. The site is an underwater canyon with a sandy floor at 86 feet, which sloops to well beyond recreational dive limits. The main attraction takes place between 20-40' and along either side of the inner walls of the canyon, where you can slowly swim along or hover and wait for the manta's to appear. They too seem very curious and playful at the site of scuba divers. Once the mantas feel safe in your company, they will perform an underwater ballet, or you may just find them floating effortlessly in the waters allowing the tiny wrasse to pick at them, in and out their gills and mouth. In either case, it is an experience you will be able to take home with you and cherish for a lift time.